Babayaro linked to Magpies

Wednesday 29 December 2004 00:00 BST

Newcastle boss Graham Souness is closing in on his first transfer window signing after identifying Chelsea full-back Celestine Babayaro as a target.

The Magpies are looking to bolster their defence when the market opens in January and the Nigeria international - a survivor of the Ruud Gullit era at Stamford Bridge - could make a move north within days.

It is understood negotiations have reached an advanced stage, with the full-back's Chelsea contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Middlesbrough and Liverpool are believed to have been trailing the 26-year-old, who arrived in England in a £2.25million switch from Anderlecht in June 1997.

Babayaro has won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Charity Shield and the European Super Cup with the Londoners, but has found himself surplus to requirements since Roman Abramovich took control of the club.

Glen Johnson, Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho have all been recruited to strengthen the defence, with Babayaro left on the sidelines.

His last start was at home to Everton on November 6, and his last appearance came as a substitute in the 4-0 win at Charlton later in the same month.

Souness has made no secret of his intention to patch the holes in a defence which has conceded 37 goals in just 19 Barclays Premiership games this season.

Stephen Carr could return from a knee injury within weeks, but the Magpies have outlined a number of targets in recent months with Rangers' Jean-Alain Boumsong already the subject of a bid.

The France centre-back's hamstring injury and the Scottish club's asking price may yet prove stumbling blocks and Manchester City's Sylvain Distin has been linked with a move. Distin turned down the chance to stay at St James' Park after a loan spell during the 2001-2002 season.

Souness and his chairman Freddy Shepherd received £13.4million from the sale of Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid but are wary of paying over the odds for players.

"All I can tell you is that the chairman has worked really hard in the last couple of months to try to do deals," said Souness as he prepared for tonight's Barclays Premiership clash with Arsenal.

"We have said from day one we want to strengthen, and that is what we are hoping to do in the coming weeks.

"We do not have a big squad. It is not a case of are we going to get a couple of players in and a couple of players are going to be allowed to leave. If you look at our squad now, we are down to the bones.

"We had two 18-year-olds start the game on Sunday. When we line up in the tunnel, I want the opposition to look at the 11 players who are starting the game and think 'bloody hell, we are in against men today'.

"That is the aim. When we line up against Arsenal, we will be looking at them in their stature and their age and what they have achieved in the game, and they are all bloody men."